The results presented below are preliminary findings from the Québec Biodiversity Monitoring Network. This long-term initiative aims to track the impacts of climate change on biodiversity by monitoring key species and environmental indicators across the province. As the project is still in its early years, it is too soon to draw conclusions about the effects of climate change. However, the monitoring efforts already provide valuable insight into northern biodiversity and have even led to the discovery of new species.
Several Nunavik communities are actively involved in this work, alongside monitoring efforts in Nunavik Parks and protected areas. The preliminary results showcased here highlight some data collected over the past few years, including bird populations, lake fish diversity, and spider communities. This collaborative effort would not be possible without the contributions of the Uumajuit Wardens, Nunavik Parks, the Protected Areas Section of Kativik Regional Government (KRG), the Nunavik Research Center, the Centre d’études nordiques (CEN), the Nunavik Sentinels and Anguvigait.
The collected data can be downloaded on the Biodiversité Québec platform (biodiversite-quebec.ca/en/inventaires) when you log in. See the email for the log in and data download procedures.
Birds are monitored using acoustic recorders installed in wetlands, forests, and tundra across several Nunavik communities and other regions of the province. These devices capture bird songs from spring through autumn. Later, experts listen to the recordings and identify the bird species based on their vocalizations.
© Caroline Dubé, MELCCFP.
© Joëlle Spooner, MELCCFP.
Spiders are monitored using pitfall traps, which are designed to capture soil invertebrates. Each trap is filled with propylene glycol, a substance used to preserve the specimens, and a drop of dish soap to break the surface tension. At each forest and tundra monitoring site, eight traps are installed. The traps are emptied and reactivated in mid-July and removed before the first snow, ensuring an optimal period for invertebrate collection.These traps also capture all soil-dwelling invertebrates, including spiders, ants, springtails, and ground beetles. This monitoring method provides a broad snapshot of the diversity of invertebrates in the area.
© Caroline Dubé, MELCCFP.
In the 2023 samples, we collected a total of 1971 spider specimens for a total of 84 spider species in Nunavik. For the whole province, 12 512 specimens were collected and identified in 2023, for a total of 206 species. This is only in one year! With the samples collected in 2023 with the help of the Uumajuit wardens, 5 species were sampled for the first time in Québec! These species can also be found in the Yukon, the West Coast, Nunavut, and for some, Greenland and Scandinavia.
Here are the new species for Québec:
| Site | Species |
|---|---|
| Salluit | Diplocephalus sphagnicola |
| Salluit | Emblyna borealis |
| Salluit | One other species that remains unknown for now |
| Kangiqsualujjuaq | Horcotes strandi |
| Pingualuit | Hilaira proletaria |
In most groups of living organisms, species richness tends to decrease as we move toward the poles. For example, there are far more plant species in the Amazon rainforest than in the Arctic. But when it comes to spiders, things appear to be a bit different.
In the graph below, latitude is shown on the y-axis and the number of spider species on the x-axis. You’ll notice that in most sites across Nunavik, the number of spider species is not very different from what we see in southern Québec. The only noticeable decline in species richness starts around latitude 60°, which corresponds roughly to the regions of Kangirsuk and Puvirnituq. South of that, spider diversity appears to be just as high as it is farther south in the province. The diversity of spider species in Nunavik is truly impressive and highlights how unique and rich northern ecosystems can be!
In the graph below, you’ll find the species that were detected the most often in each monitoring area. The species that was detected the most often across all monitoring sites is Pardosa uintana, the Boreal thin-legged wolf spider. In a single monitoring year, the species was found over 120 times in the traps! Over all monitoring sites in Nunavik and all monitoring years, the species was collected 800 times.
Here, we show how many unique species were found in each community
and park. These species were not found elsewhere in Québec through the
monitoring efforts of the Québec Biodiversity Monitoring Network. For
outside of Nunavik, the average amount of unique species found by
monitoring site is 1. Pingualuit Park is where unique species were most
frequently detected. 9 species that have not been found anywhere else in
Québec have been sampled out of two monitoring sites in the park.
As the project progresses, we plan to expand our monitoring efforts by visiting new sites across Nunavik, as well as revisiting those that were sampled 4 or 5 years ago to assess potential changes over time. The new data collected will enhance our analysis and provide deeper insights into the current state of Nunavik’s biodiversity. Your collaboration and contributions to the fieldwork make this project possible. Nakurmiik to everyone who helped out with this project on the land this year!
Nakurmiik marialuk!